Path of Needles
by whenthemarshmallowmettheslayer
Summary: That and realization he didn't know as much as he thought he did. Itachi would wage war for his brother without a moment of hesitation. How could he find it his heart to judge his mother doing such to protect the child of her deceased sister? Yes, this Kushina was not an Uchiha but family did not end in blood.


Itachi's dark eyes were quizzical as he took in the sight before him; the reason why he had came to the room - to find his mother - all forgotten now. When his mother noticed him and looked up at his face her own face brightened before a laugh tore from her throat. Her thin shoulders clothed in blue shook from her mirth.

"Those are bright." Itachi voiced. They, the clothes, were Sasuke's size but his younger brother would not enjoy such a shade of orange. Itachi could easily imagine the petulant pout that Sasuke's face would take on at the sight then the followed realization that he would be expected to wear such bright clothing because their mother had given it to him. For whatever ever reason though Itachi could not discern it. His mother had never dressed him in clothing thought by women to be cute (and the orange was not cute) when Itachi had been a child. Nor had she done so with Sasuke until now. Mikoto Uchiha was not only the sensiblest women Itachi had known in his life but one of the sensiblest people he knew. If he had privacy Itachi's mouth would have twisted at the irony. But he did not have privacy - he was before his mother - the person who knew him best - who was a traitor to Konoha just like the rest of the Uchiha clan.

When her laughter had died down his mother spoke, "You don't have to worry for your brother, Itachi. They're for another boy."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. It was the only acknowledgement to the unvoiced question in the air. Who mother?

"Naruto," his mother confessed, a sad expression washing onto her face despite the warmth in her voice. "He has Kushina's taste in fashion I'm afraid."

Kushina. The name felt familiar but Itachi could not recall why. It didn't matter. Uzumaki, Naruto was the village's jinchūriki. He was around his brother's age Itachi knew from other members of ANBU. Unlike them, Itachi had never been ordered the task of watching the child despite having more experience in that field than the majority of ANBU members did. It had never struck him as odd before. Now Itachi couldn't help but wonder if people truly believed the rumors about his clan and the nine tailed beast.

"When this is all over we'll be taking him in." Another pause in which his mother bowed her head and rubbed her thumb over the bright color of fabric. Her bangs covered her eyes from Itachi's own. "I wanted to take him in years ago. Kushina and I were on the same squad and grew to be sisters to one and another. When she was pregnant with Naruto she had asked me if pregnancy was difficult and I laughed," his mother's tone changed at the word laughed. Guilt was heavy in her tone. "Kushina was never afraid of anything and I had finally found something that made her weary after all the years I had known her. She died during childbirth."

Tears passed the coverage of her bangs and ran down her cheeks. Her fingers did not shake though. "When your father agreed to it I went to the Hokage and petitioned for guardianship over Naruto. Jiraiya had never came for the child-"

The sannin, Itachi thought as his mother released a laugh as bitter as oolong.

"and he still hasn't despite seven years having passed. Minato like Kushina has no family besides their child. Kakashi was only a year older than you at the time. He was too young to burden the weight of a baby. We were the best choice. Sasuke was even Naruto's age and you could have had another brother to adore on."

Itachi didn't protest that he did not adore on Sasuke. That would have been an obvious lie to voice to his mother. Mother, unlike father, didn't see adoration as a weakness.

"Despite everything the Hokage refused and allowed Kushina and Minato's child to be left in an orphanage. That and the village to shun a child for a burden he was forced to bear."

Mother ran her fingers through her hair, her bangs lifted at the motion before they fell quickly. Tears were still staining her face. How many times had he witnessed his mother cry?

Once.

It had been when she had given birth to his baby brother. Something akin to uncomfortableness clawed at Itachi's chest. It wasn't just the sight of his mother in pain that hurt Itachi so. It was creeping fear that his plan for his brother might not be best. That and realization he didn't know as much as he thought he did.

(Itachi would wage war for his brother without a moment of hesitation. How could he find it his heart to judge his mother doing such to protect the child of her deceased sister? Yes, this Kushina was not an Uchiha but family did not end in blood.)

* * *

A/N: Originally posted on ao3. My user name on there is youngjusticewriter. If you want quicker updates keep an eye on the fic over there because I primarily wrote on archive of our own.

My muse pointing at this fic: is this a Sakura Haurno centric fic?

Also my muse: *points at this fic like the butterfly meme* Is this me finishing my numerous wips?

I sometimes really hate my muse. If I could spry it with water I would. Maybe then it would be reasonable.


End file.
